Micronutrient and Antinutritional Content of Weaning Food Produced from Blends of Millet, Soya Beans and Moringa Oleifera Leaf Flour

Abstract

Any Weaning food offered to infants should be rich in micronutrients and high in protein quality. The study assessed the Mineral, Vitamin A and C, Amino acids and Antinutritional profile of weaning food blends from millet flour (MLF), soya beans flour (SBF) and moringa oleifera leaf flour (MLF) in the ratio FMF:SBF:MLF- sample C (60:35:5), sample D (60:30:10), sample E (60:25:5), sample F (60:20:20) sample A (100 % FMF) was used as control, sample B (FMF(60):SBF(40). All analyses were done using standard methods. The Mineral, Vitamin A, C and Amino acid Tryptophan contents of the weaning food formulations significantly (p<0.05) increased with increased MLF Percentage. The Mineral values ranged from 57.37 to 466.87 mg/100g, 11.33 to 107.30 mg/100g, 36.27 to 62.38 mg/100g, 2.45 to 4.77 mg/100g and 76.64 to 178.09 mg/100g for calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and sodium respectively. Vitamins A (ß-Carotene) and C ranged from 0-5.25 and 0.58-3.89 mg/100g respectively. Tryptophan ranged from 1.16-2.40 g/100g protein. Manganese, Lysine, methionine was significantly (p<0.05) higher in MLF unsubstituted sample B. The anti-nutrients analyzed were significantly (p<0.05) low with values ranging from (0.09 to 0.43) mg/100 g, (0.13 to 1.49) mg/100 g, (0.33 to 0.95) mg/100 g and (0.03 to 0.07) mg/100 g for phytates, tannins, oxalates and trypsin inhibitor respectively.